The Preacher’s Pondering...
I want to express my thanks to all here at Bethel who were so faithful in praying for our safe-keeping and also for the success of the gospel meeting at Pembroke, KY. The brethren there stated that this was the best attended meeting of any they have hosted in recent years. There were no baptisms or restorations during the meeting, but the seed was sown and we trust in God to give the increase.
The most difficult thing about the meeting was driving back and forth each evening. Wednesday evening on our way home, we were tied up in a big traffic jam on I-40 and did not get home until close to 1:00 a.m. As I pen these words for your consideration, I am still weary in body–but, my spirit was refreshed during the gospel meeting. In fact, I find myself wishing that I could drive back up to Kentucky and preach tonight. Thank you again for your prayers and for being so supportive. To God be the glory.
Below, I am reprinting for your consideration an article that was written by Ron Roberson. I first met Ron in Hopkinsville, KY. I was laboring with the Westwood church and he moved into the community to work with the Southside congregation. Later, he worked with the church in Lafayette, TN and now he is in Memphis, TN. The article is a bit humorous and it contains a great moral lesson.
Carl
Permanently Traumatized
For a minister, one of the advantages of visiting another con-gregation is that you can pick up some new illustrations. My friend, Robert Brown, at the Macon Road church in Memphis, told this supposedly true story.
A lady in Galveston, Texas, has a little pet bird named “Chippy.” One day this lady was cleaning her house with a canister type vacuum cleaner. In the process she decided to clean “Chippy’s” cage, so she removed the attachment and proceeded to pick up the lint and litter in the bottom of the cage with the hose. Just then the telephone rang and you’ve already guessed what happened next. “Chippy” was sucked into the canister.
Hurriedly, the lady opened the canister, ripped open the bag and rescued “Chippy” who was stunned but still very much alive. However, “Chippy” was filthy, so the lady carried him to the bathroom, washed him off under the faucet, and dried him with the hair dryer.
Whoever originally heard this story called the lady several weeks later to see if this had actually happened. She assured him that it had. At that point the caller asked, “Well, how is Chippy doing?” To which the lady replied, “Okay, but he just doesn’t sing anymore.”
Robert’s point in using this illustration and my point in re-peating it here is that life is traumatic. Life is unfair. Sometimes we all feel like Chippy, but we can still choose to sing. After the initial crisis has passed, we can sing again. Paul and Silas did (Acts 16:25) and, with God as our helper, we can too.
–Ron Roberson
I want to express my thanks to all here at Bethel who were so faithful in praying for our safe-keeping and also for the success of the gospel meeting at Pembroke, KY. The brethren there stated that this was the best attended meeting of any they have hosted in recent years. There were no baptisms or restorations during the meeting, but the seed was sown and we trust in God to give the increase.
The most difficult thing about the meeting was driving back and forth each evening. Wednesday evening on our way home, we were tied up in a big traffic jam on I-40 and did not get home until close to 1:00 a.m. As I pen these words for your consideration, I am still weary in body–but, my spirit was refreshed during the gospel meeting. In fact, I find myself wishing that I could drive back up to Kentucky and preach tonight. Thank you again for your prayers and for being so supportive. To God be the glory.
Below, I am reprinting for your consideration an article that was written by Ron Roberson. I first met Ron in Hopkinsville, KY. I was laboring with the Westwood church and he moved into the community to work with the Southside congregation. Later, he worked with the church in Lafayette, TN and now he is in Memphis, TN. The article is a bit humorous and it contains a great moral lesson.
Carl
Permanently Traumatized
For a minister, one of the advantages of visiting another con-gregation is that you can pick up some new illustrations. My friend, Robert Brown, at the Macon Road church in Memphis, told this supposedly true story.
A lady in Galveston, Texas, has a little pet bird named “Chippy.” One day this lady was cleaning her house with a canister type vacuum cleaner. In the process she decided to clean “Chippy’s” cage, so she removed the attachment and proceeded to pick up the lint and litter in the bottom of the cage with the hose. Just then the telephone rang and you’ve already guessed what happened next. “Chippy” was sucked into the canister.
Hurriedly, the lady opened the canister, ripped open the bag and rescued “Chippy” who was stunned but still very much alive. However, “Chippy” was filthy, so the lady carried him to the bathroom, washed him off under the faucet, and dried him with the hair dryer.
Whoever originally heard this story called the lady several weeks later to see if this had actually happened. She assured him that it had. At that point the caller asked, “Well, how is Chippy doing?” To which the lady replied, “Okay, but he just doesn’t sing anymore.”
Robert’s point in using this illustration and my point in re-peating it here is that life is traumatic. Life is unfair. Sometimes we all feel like Chippy, but we can still choose to sing. After the initial crisis has passed, we can sing again. Paul and Silas did (Acts 16:25) and, with God as our helper, we can too.
–Ron Roberson
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